Bella & Amanda: When Two Hearts Meet

2: Long Time, No See

Bella sat on her sofa. She couldn't stop thinking about her nightmare. It felt so real. The music box was real. She had it in front of her. She was showered and dressed. The place was cleaned and dusted off. Amanda was on her way. Bella had doubts that she was actually coming. It was nine o'clock in the morning. She hears a few knocks on her door after hearing a truck pull up. Bella quickly walked to the door. She opened it. The chain was still on. She peeked through the small gap and sees Amanda standing alone with a bag on her back. Her truck sat out on the dirt road. "Amanda?" She asks. Amanda nods. Bella closes the door to take the chain off. She opens it and let's her in. "Were you followed?" She asked. "No. Why?" Amanda asked. "No reason." Bella says before closing the door. She turns to face Amanda. A grand smile revealed Amanda's bright teeth. She suddenly forces her arms around Bella. One arm around her waist and a hand on the back of her head. Bella got frightened and aggressively pushed her away before stepping back. Amanda looks at her with no words. She was hurt. Bella realises her mistake. "Sorry... It's been a while since I've socialized." Bella says quietly. She looks at Amanda hugging herself. She had brown hair in a ponytail. She wore jeans with a red checked shirt. A baseball cap sat on her head. Her brown eyes gazes at Bella. "It's okay... Long time, no see. Am I right?" Amanda says quietly with a shaken voice. Bella looks at her large eyes. She could tell Amanda was dying to have her in her own arms. So she decided to be nice and hug her. Amanda hugs back. Bella felt a sense of comfort. Something she hadn't felt for a while. They stay attached to eachother for a long five minutes. Amanda releases her slowly. She looks at Bella's face. Thin and bony. Very pale. She looked like a vampire. She holds Bella's hand. As cold as ice but soft. She looks at Bella again. Bella looks back. She then drops her hand and sighs weakly. "So how has thing's been? You say things have been great but this... This looks nothing like it." Amanda says as she folds her arms.

Bella walks into the living room and sits. Amanda follows her and sits beside her. "I've been fine." Bella says quietly. "No you haven't. You live in a cold house that looks haunted and you look incredible unhealthy. Dead, even. You can't just sit here and say things have been great." Amanda had raised her voice. Bella jumped and moved away. Amanda hugs herself again. Tension rises between them. "Sorry. I didn't mean to scare you. It's just that I haven't seen you for years. You just vanished. Since the incident with that homicidal rapist clown, or whatever he was, you were never the same. And you vanishing just made things worse." Amanda says. She struggling to keep herself together. Bella stares at her. She looked far different from her teenage years. Amanda hugs her knees. "I've been lonely. Depressed. Scared. I've lived here for four years. Maybe five. I had a nightmare. He came into my house and tried killing me. I woke up in tears when he hit me with his hammer. It felt real. Too real. That's why I phoned you." Bella replies. Still keeping her voice low. Amanda takes off her bag and places it on the floor. She looks at Bella with concern. "When was the last time you ate and slept?" She asks. "I slept on Wednesday... I haven't ate for two weeks." Bella says. Amanda takes a sandwich from her bag and hands it to her. "Don't reject. Just take it." She says. Bella hesitates before taking it. She begins eating it. Amanda looks around. She could tell it was recently cleaned just for her. "So you've not had anyone to talk to or anything?" Amanda asks. Bella nods. "How have you not gone insane?" Amanda asks. Bella stares at her. "I've already been in an insane asylum. I was possessed which made them think I had lost my mind." Bella says. "Possessed? Seriously? Demons don't exist. Neither do ghosts or whatever." Amanda says with disbelief. There was a moment of silence. Amanda stares at the Jack in the box on the table. "Is that... His?" Amanda asks. "It was in my nightmare. And it was there when I woke up. I don't know how or why but I've never had one. I hate them." Bella says. Amanda nods. She knew Bella hated them so she covered it with her hoodie.

Amanda notices the upright piano next to the living room door. She walks over to it and sits on the stool. She opens the dusty lid to see clean glossed keys. She looks back at Bella who was staring at the table. She turns back and presses each key to make sure it was tuned. It was perfect. It sounded new. Clearly never touched. She begins to play genopedie. Bella looks at her. She stands up and walks up behind her without a sound. She admires how smooth her hand movements were. How clean it was. Amanda finishes and looks behind her. She jumps and quickly closes the lid. "Sorry. I should've asked. I'm sorry." Amanda says with nervousness. She looks away and holds herself. Bella stares at her and smiles ever so slightly. "I liked it. Do you still know my favourite song?" She asks. Amanda looks at her before opening the lid again. She begins to play Quiet Slumber for Bella. She remembered playing it for her every week in school. Bella smiles a little more. Amanda was scared to a miss a note on Bella's favourite song. She finishes and sighs weakly. She made two mistakes. Bella never noticed. Amanda turns on her seat. She looks up at Bella. They both gaze at eachother again. Bella could see, in Amanda's eyes, how unstable she was. She was trembling a little and her eyes were filling with tears. Bella wanted to help. Amanda refused to embarrass herself in front of her. She got up and walked around for a minute. Bella gently grabs Amanda's arm and pulls her into her own arms. "Let it out." Bella says. "Just let it all out." Amanda holds her and cries. "It's been so long. I thought you were dead." Amanda sobs. "Not yet, Amanda." Bella says. Amanda falls to the ground, pulling Bella with her. She cries for a straight hour. Bella's jumper was soaked.

Bella cried with her quietly. They stopped but continue to hug. "I've missed you." Amanda says. "I've missed you too." Bella replies. |She pulls away from the hug. "Can you stay the night? And tomorrow night?" Bella asks. "I'd love to. I was gonna ask the same thing." Amanda says as she wipes her eyes. "Thank you. I just need some company." Bella says. She stands and helps Amanda up. She looks up at her. "Would you like anything to drink?" Bella asks. "Just some water." Amanda replies as she looks down at Bella.